Electric discharge device



P. SCHWERIN ELECTRIC DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed Dec. 50, 1921 ffm/wmf azf/ 5C/WMM @p/Y Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL SCHWERIN, OI' NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC DISCHARGE DEVICE.

Application led December 80, 1921. Serial No. 525,985.

This application relates to electric discharge devices and more especially to the structural arrangement and design of the electrodes.

In certain ty es of electron discharge devices the catho e comprises a filament of extremely small diameter which is supported between the ends of `leading-in wiresto which the ends of the filament are welded.

It has been found that in several instances the filament has broken at the point of welding. The cause of this is not known but may be that, due to the fineness of the filament, when it is heated to a molten condition during the welding operation some of the metal fiows away from the welding point, thereby weakening the filament by reducing the cross-sectionalarea adjacent this point.'

It is one object of this invention to overcome this difficulty and thereby increase the life of electron discharge devices Ausing filaments of extremely small diameter. w

This object may be attained b mechanically attaching to either end of t e filament a metallic member having a much larger effective diameter than that of the filament and then welding the members to the lead wires. These members are of sufficient size so that in spite of any weakening of them that may take place during the welding operation they are stronger than the filament.

An additional object of the invention is the maintaining of the various electrodes in the proper relation to each other, and particularly in 'electron discharge devices comprising a control electrode or grid between the anode and cathode in an evacuated vessel.

This object is attained in the referred form of the invention by exten ing two metallic supporting members from the pressv of the enclosing vessel beyond the boundaries of the electrodes and connecting their ends `by insulating material. The three electrodes are supported res ectively by the 'two metallic members an the insulating material.

Other objects and novel features of the invention will be aparent from the following specification an accompanying drawing wherein the figure is an elevation of an electron discharge device embodying the invention.

The bulb 10 is rovided with a base 11 and the lower end otP the bulb is sealed around the metallic members 12, 13, 14 and 15 which ,serve as leading-in wires for the electrodes.

'the member 12 near the outer end thereof and extends at right angles therefrom toward the member 15. Suspended from the free end of the spring 17 and the member 13 is the cathode 18 which comprises a filament, the ends of which have been inserted in sleeves 19 and 19a which are flattened down against the filament to form a mechanical and electrical connection therewith. The sleeves 19 and 19a are welded to the spring 17 and the member 13 respectively. A spiral grid 20 is arranged coaxial with the cathode 18 and has its upper and lower ends arranged parallel to the axis of the spiral. The upper end is sealed in the rod 16 and the lower end is joined to the member 14. A substantially cylindrical anode 21 supported by the member 15 envelopes the cathode and anode. An insulating member 22 similar to 16 is provided just below the electrode assembly and serves to maintain the metallic members 12, 13, 14; and 15 in their s aced relation.

In t e particular form of electron discharge device to which this invention is most applicable, the cathode is a filament of hair-like dimensions and is for that reason difficult to work with in the assembling of the device. 'The arrangement of the sleeves 19 and 19a on the ends thereof materially assists in the assembling since the weight of the sleeve 19"L holds the filament -vertical when the sleeve 19 is grasped, and it is thus spirit of the invention as set forth inthc appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electric discharge device, an electrode supporting structure comprising a pair of longitudinal metallic members, lateral insulating members carried by said longitudinal members, a grid electrode supported between said lateral members, an anode carried by one of said longitudinal members and a cathode attached to the other.

2. In an electric discharge device, an electrode sul porting structure comprising a pair of longitudinal metallic members, lateral insulating members carried by said longitudinal members, a plurality of electrodes supported by said longitudinal members, each of said longitudinal members serving as a leading-in wire for one of said electrodes.

3. In an electric discharge device, an evacuated vessel, a pair of metallic members sealed in said vessel and extending Within said vessel, an insulating member carried by the free ends of said metallic members, an anode supported by one of said metallic members, a cathode supported by the other of said metallic members, said metallic members serving as leading-in wires for said electrodes.

4. In an electric discharge device, an evacuated vessel comprising a' press, a plurality of metallic members held in said press, two of said metallic members extending subst-antially the full length of' said vessel and the remainder terminating a short distance from the press, an anode carried by one of said long metallic members, a cathode supported at one end from said other long metallic member and at its other end from a short metallic member, said metallic members actin as leading-in Wires for said electrodes, an an insulating connection between the free ends of said long members.

5. In an electric discharge device, an evacuated vessel, a press therein, a plurality o leading-in Wires sealed in said press, one of .i

said leading-in Wires extending substantially the full length of the vessel and having a flattened portion, a spring Welded to said flattened portion and extending at an angle to said leading-in Wire, a cathode, and supportin connect-ions between said cathode and said spring and another of said leadingin Wires.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 28thday'of Deecmber A.- D.,

PAUL SCHWERIN. 

